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Soldiers and Sailors Historical Society 
of Rhode Island 


Personal Narratives 

SEVENTH SERIES, No. 4 


War Reminiscences. 


By MARTIN S. JAMES, 

[Late Captain Light Battery C, Third Rhode Island 
Heavy Artillery.] 





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Capt. Martin S. James, 

[Late Captain Light Battery C, Third Rhode Island Heavy Artillery.] 










PERSONAL NARRATIVES 


OF EVENTS IN THE 


War of the Rebellion, 


BEING PAPERS READ BEFORE THE 


RHODE ISLAND SOLDIERS AND SAILORS 
HISTORICAL SOCIETY, 


Seventh Series. —No. 4. 



PROVIDENCE : 

PUBLISHED BY THE SOCIETY, 

1911. 





SNOW & FARNIIAM CO., PRINTERS. 


Oitft 

T'h^ 

OCT 9 m% 



[Edition limited to two hundred and fifty copies.] 





WAR REMINISCENCES 


BY 


MARTIN S. JAMf]S, 

[Late Captain Light Battery C, Third Rhode Island Heavy Artillery.] 


I ^ 
> 4 • 


PROVIDEjfs'CE : 


PUBLISHED BY THE SOCIETY. 

1911. 




[Read before the Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Historical Society 
of Rhode Island during Winter, 1908 and 1909.] 


Tlie Publication Committee had intended to ask Captain 
James to add some other reminiscenses to this paper, but 
before we could commiitiicate with him his deatli changed our 
plans and so we have piiblished the paper just as it came to us 
from him. 


Publication Committee. 




‘i'r tt. P-a) 


.V 


WAR REMINISCENCES. 


When the War of the Rebellion commenced I was 
salesman for Lippitt & Martin, on Westminster 
Street, Providence, R. I. At the first call for troops 
for three months’ service, I, with some of my com¬ 
panions, went to the armory of the First Light In¬ 
fantry, intending to enlist with them. I made some 
inquiry of the captain and received such a reply as 
to make me angry. I said to my companions, ‘‘If 
you want to go out with such a man you can, I 
won’t.” 

MTien the call came for the Second Regiment from 
Rhode Island, it was first published on Saturday 
morning. As I entered the store that morning, and 
as I passed the cashier’s de^k, Henry H. Young, the 
cashier, said to me something about going with the 
army. I made some reply and passed on to my 
department. During the day Young came to me and 
said he was in earnest and wanted to talk with me. 



6 


WAR REMINISCENCES. 


The store closed at sundown, except on Saturdays, 
when we kept open until eight or nine o’clock. 
Young and myself agreed to meet as soon as we 
closed the store. We went together over into what 
was known as the ^Trovidence Cove Park,” near the 
Providence Depot. We sat down on one of the iron 
benches and discussed the matter until nearly mid¬ 
night. Young said that he could hire a horse and 
chaise (an old-fashioned two-wheeled chaise) for one 
dollar a day from a neighbor. It was agreed that 
Young should come with the chaise to my room, No. 
8 Angell Street, at half-past five the next morning. 
He came as agreed, and we drove, I think, to Paw¬ 
tucket, and there got our breakfast. We then went 
to Valley Palls. VTiile the church bells were ringing 
and the good people of Valley Falls were wending 
their way to church, I was standing up in the chaise, 
haranguing a crowd of two or three hundred factory 
men and boys, while .Young was taking the names 
of those who agreed'.tb*'enlist. We obtained over 
sixty names at Valley Palls, and while there we 
heard of a Captain Tate, of Lime Rock, who had 
started to organize a company and had about twenty- 


WAR REMINISCENCES. 


7 


live names. We decided to see Captain Tate. We 
drove to Lime Rock and sent for Captain Tate to 
come to the hotel. Captain Tate had formerly be¬ 
longed to the ^‘Boston Pusileers.” We proposed to 
join with him; our offer was accepted and it was 
agreed that he should have the captaincy, and Young 
and myself the two lieutenancies. It was also agreed 
that Young and myself should make a tender of the 
company to the State the next morning. We of¬ 
fered the State, early Monday morning, a full com¬ 
pany for the Second Regiment. The fact that two 
boys (we were each twenty years old) should enlist 
a company in one day and make a tender of it to the 
State created quite a sensation. Mayor Rodman and 
other prominent citizens took a great interest in what 
we had done. The governor agreed that no matter 
what was offered for the Second Regiment, our com¬ 
pany should be accepted and officered as requested 
by us. While at Valley Falls we had made an ap¬ 
pointment to meet on the next Tuesday evening the 
men who had enlisted. Young and myself drove out 
to Valley Falls. We secured an empty school build¬ 
ing for drill, also the services of a man who had been 


8 


WAR REMINISCENCES. 


sergeant in the English army to drill the men. We 
appointed Tuesday and Friday evenings for drill. 

Everything looked bright and promising. For 
some reason there was a very long delay between the 
first call for the regiment and the final call for or¬ 
ganization. I think it was several weeks. Young 
was a very quiet, reticent young man, therefore I had 
to do all the talking. We went out each Tuesday and 
Fridajq and I usually made a speech to the men, tell¬ 
ing them we exjiected the final call right away. 
After a few of these speeches we began to notice a 
strong dissatisfaction among the men. We could 
hear such remarks as, “Damned city snobs,’’ “They 
are fooling us,” etc. At each meeting the dissatis¬ 
faction grew stronger, and threats of riding us on a 
rail, tarring and feathering us, etc., were indulged 
in. The last Tuesday evening we went out to Valley 
Falls the men were so rough and boisterous that we 
had difficulty in getting them to drill or listen to any 
more promises on our part. Going home chat night. 
Young and myself were very dubious about returning 
among them again unless we had favorable news 
from the State; but we decided we would not make 


WAR REMINISCENCES. 


9 


good soliders if we were driven off hj a lot of factory 
men and boys; so when Friday night came we went 
again with the old horse and chaise, but we took the 
precaution to hide our conveyance at the edge of the 
village under an empty shed we found there. We 
walked up to the drill room. It was a clear and 
beautiful moonlight night. The moment we came in 
sight we were greeted with yells: ‘^Here are the 
damned city snobs! Let’s tar and feather them!” 
We managed to get into the drill room, but the men 
would not come in nor would they listen to anything. 
The only ones in the drill room were the drill master, 
Young and myself. The men were outside yelling 
like demons for us to come out and take a ride on a 
rail, etc. It looked mighty blue for Young and my¬ 
self, and as though we wouldn’t escape pretty rough 
handling. We held a council of war. The building 
stood on rising ground and at the rear was a small 
hill. It was finally decided that Young should get 
out of the rear window, go for the horse and chaise 
as quickly as he could, drive as near the front door 
as possible and I was to take my chance of getting 
into the chaise. 


10 


WAR REMINISCENCES. 


The men were all out in front of the building yell¬ 
ing like Indians. They didn't see Young get away 
from the building. I watched out of a side window, 
and pretty soon I saw Young coming on a keen gal¬ 
lop. I had on a light spring overcoat. I buttoned 
up my undercoat and overcoat, and just as Young 
reached the edge of the crowd outside, I appeared 
at the front door. The moment I got in sight of the 
crowd I tore open my overcoat, undercoat and vest, 
and thrust my hand into an inside vest pocket. A 
yell went up from those nearest the steps, ^^Lookout 
he’s got a pistol!” We were both unarmed. Young 
drove through the rabble right to the front door. I 
made a spring for the chaise, and as I jumi3ed in I 
grabbed the reins and whip and we were quickly out¬ 
side of the crowd, but were not quick enough to es¬ 
cape a shower of stones. I have forgotten how much 
it cost Young and myself for repairs to the chaise, 
but I know it was quite a sum. 

The next Saturday night the call from Washington 
was flashed over the wires. Nineteen companies were 
offered for the Second Regiment, and regardless of 
promises made by the governor, it was decided to 


WAR REMINISCENCES. 


11 


accept them pro rata, that is, to make up the com¬ 
panies pro rata out of the nineteen. Our friends 
were indignant. I was taken ill at about that time 
and was confined to my boarding house. Mayor 
Rodman and others took up our case, and Young was 
commissioned second lieutenant in the regiment. 
Probably had I not been ill, I would have received 
a commission. I could not even see the regiment 
when it marched away as I was flat on my back. 

One word about Young. He made a gallant ofiicer 
and achieved a brilliant record. He was promoted to 
a captaincy, and finally became chief of scouts to 
General Sheridan, rising to the rank of lieutenant- 
( oionel. A braver officer never lived. Sheridan, in 
his memoirs, gives him high praise. I never met 
Young again until the close of the war, when I visited 
him in his camp near Petersburg. He afterTvards 
spent a day with me in my camp. Young was after¬ 
wards murdered in Mexico. He urged me very hard 
to go to Mexico with him. He was a gallant fellow 
and I have always deeply regretted his death. 

As soon as I was able I returned to the store, but 
the spirit of Avar had got hold of me and I made up 


12 


WAR REMINISCENCES. 


my mind to go with the next regiment. In the mean¬ 
time I joined the Providence Cadets, and what little 
knowledge I gained Vvdiile with the cadets comx)rised 
my entire military knowledge. 

The Providence Journal always lay on the counter 
near the cashier’s desk, and I was in the habit of 
glancing at the news every morning when I came to 
the store. One morning in July, 1861, I picked up 
the paper and saw the call for the Third Regiment 
from Rhode Island. I waited until Mr. Lippitt came 
into the store, when I stepped up to him and said: 
“Mr. Lippitt, I suppose you are willing to sacrifice 
my services for the good of the country.” He said, 
“Oh, yes,” but I learned afterwards that he had no 
idea of what I meant. I got my hat and went direct 
to the governor’s office. Governor Sprague was in 
the field with the First Regiment, and the lieutenant- 
governor was in charge. I started to tell him who I 
was, when he stopped me, saying, “Mr. James, I know 
all about you and what you have done; now I want 
you to take right hold and organize another com¬ 
pany.” I told him I had no means of so doing, but 
he insisted that I must. I finally said I would see 


WAR REMINISCENCES. 


13 


Colonel Earle of the Cadets, and if I could have the 
cadet armory I would try it. 

I called on Colonel Earle and told him what I 
wanted. He said he vras very sorry, hut he had 
promised all enlistments in Cadet Armory to Major 
Gorham. I then asked if he would have any objec¬ 
tions to any arrangements I could make with Major 
Gorham. He said, ‘^Not in the least.’’ I then 
hunted up Major Gorham and said to him, ‘Gf you 
will allow me to enlist a company in Cadet Ar¬ 
mory, I’ll do all the work and you can have all the 
pay and emoluments from the State. He at once 
accepted, so in less than two hours from the time I 
left the store I had a placard hanging out in front 
of the armory on North Main Street, “Recruits 
wanted for the Third Regiment.” 

My first enlistment was a man named Kaufman. 
He was very drunk at the time, but he made a good 
soldier. T told Kaufman after he had signed to go 
out and bring in his friends and any others he could 
get. I did this with all who signed at first. In a 
very short time I had a full company. I then com¬ 
menced to drill them without arms. I would study 


14 


WAR REMINISCENCES. 


tactics at night and drill the men da}' times. I had 
a fine body of men and they drilled well. 

During the winter of 18G2 and 18G3, while I was 
aide-de-camp to General Terry, and while we were 
at Hilton Head^ I went to tea one evening and found 
the general in a very depressed condition. He Avould 
say but little, but said he would like to see me after 
tea. This set me to thinking, and I wondered Avhat 
I had been doing. I could think of no special actt)f 
mine that vroiild cause him to be so glum. As we 
got up from tea, he proposed a walk on tiie beach 
and so we started out. After walking some dis¬ 
tance the general turned to me, and said, “Janies, 
I have a very sad’duty to perform.^’ I asked him 
what it was, and he said he was charged with carry¬ 
ing out the sentence of death on Private Laiiit, of 
the Ninth iMaiiie Regiment, who had just been sen¬ 
tenced to be shot to death by a court-martial for 
desertion and other crimes. It vras such a relief to 
mo that I could not help laughing. I said to the 
general, tliat while it was a sad duty, it was one 
of the fortunes of war, and I didn’t see why he 
should feel so badly over it. The next morning the 


WAR REMINISCENCES. 


15 


general and myself took our horses and went out to 
look for a place to carry out the execution. It is 
an old army superstition, a simple idea, that an 
execution shall not be held on ground where troops 
are likely to camp. We finally selected a beautiful 
field just outside the center sally port of the line of 
fortifications. Pretty soon the general was pacing 
off ground away down through a hedge into another 
field. I asked him what he was doing that for. He 
said that he yeas going to place the troops in one 
straight line. I said that I supposed an execution 
like this was formed three sides of a square. The 
general admitted that it was the usual custom, but 
he thought it was cruel and wrong, and he was 
going to haye it the other way. We had quite an 
argument. I maintained that an execution was in¬ 
tended to be a warning to the soldiers, and I thought 
it should be as impressiye as possible. We returned 
that day without making any positiye decision, ex¬ 
cept that the execution should take place on the 
field aboye mentioned. The next morning the gen¬ 
eral and myself rode out to the ground again, and 
v/e had the same controversy as the day before. 


16 


AVAR REMINISCENCES. 


While Ave were on the ground, Colonel Metcalf, of 
my regiment (Colonel Metcalf succeeded Colonel 
Brown), came along. The general remarked to 
Colonel Metcalf what we were discussing, and the 
colonel sided with me. While the general was away 
for a moment the colonel said to me, ^‘Stick to it, 
jo\i are right.’’ The general and the rest of us 
talked the matter over for some time. Finally, we 
started back. We were just inside of the sally port 
when the general turned suddenly to me, and said: 
‘Mames, I place the formation of the troops entirely 
in your hands; form them as you think best.” The 
execution was to take place the next day. I was 
then twenty-one years old and was to have the forma¬ 
tion of five thousand troops. I can assure you that 
it put me on my mettle after all the discussion we 
had had to haA^e the whole responsibility placed in 
my hands. It was not only a compliment, but quite 
a responsibility. 

The da^^ came. It was a perfect day without a 
cloud; just one of the perfect Southern winter days. 
The troops were ordered to report at sharp nine 
o’clock at the center sallj^ port. There were nearly 


WAR REMINISCENCES. 


17 


live thousand infantry and one battery of artillery 
and one squadron of cavalry. I placed a guidon at 
one point and took trees in the distance for my 
alignment. I formed three sides of a square and 
was very successful in getting a perfect alignment. 
Strict orders had been issued that none but the 
troops and the general and his staff should be al¬ 
lowed outside either sally port that morning. At a 
little before ten o’clock the general, accompanied 
by some forty offiicers, rode through the sally port. 
There were a number of naval officers, members of 
the department staff, and other officers, whose only 
chance to attend the execution was by accompany¬ 
ing the general as staff officers. As the general rode 
into the center of the square, I presented arms by the 
troops. I turned and saluted, and my duty was at 
an end. I then took my position by the side of the 
general. The general brought the troops to a carry 
arms, marched the rear rank eight paces to the rear, 
then faced the front rank to the rear, which left the 
whole command in two ranks in open order. In a 
few moments the sound of muffled drums was heard, 
and through the sally port came the prisoner. He 


18 


WAR REMINISCENCES. 


was in an ambulance with the curtains rolled up 
on each side, sitting on his coffin. There was a 
funeral jiarty in front, and the guard on the sides, 
all with reversed arms. In fact, the poor fellow 
was going to his own funeral alive. The ambulance 
and funeral party entered at the left of the line, and 
passed between the whole command with muffled 
drums beating and arms reversed. They came out 
at the right of the line and proceeded into the center 
of the square, facing the shooting party. The shoot¬ 
ing party consisted of twelve men under the coin- 
hand of the provost marshal. Out of the twelve 
muskets, which are loaded by some officer, only 
eleven have a ball cartridge—one is loaded with pow¬ 
der onl3\ The twelve muskets are all mixed up and 
distributed to the twelve men. No one knows which 
one has the musket without the ball. Tlie prisoner 
was taken from the ambulance, the death warrant 
was read to him, and he was asked if he had any¬ 
thing to say. Hie said he had nothing to say, and at 
the same time turning to the shooting party, he said, 
‘^Boys, shoot right here,” at the same time putting 
his hand over his heart. The provost marshal 



WAR REMINISCENCES. 


19 


stepped out to blindfold tbe prisoner, but be re¬ 
quested that lie should not be blindfolded. He 
stepped forrv^ard and kneeled on his coffin. He was 
over six feet in height and a splendid specimen of 
physical manhood. His nerve was wonderful. I 
was just in rear of the shooting party, and I could 
not notice a single bit of tremor or weakness. The 
command, “Ready, aim,’’ was given by the provost 
marshal, and the signal to fire was given by the 
dropping of a handkerchief. Eleven musket balls 
struck him but none of them struck his heart, but 
all around it. The force of the balls threw him 
back a little, but he fell on his face. In case death 
is not instantaneous it is the duty of the provost 
marshal to use a pistol. I am under the impres¬ 
sion that the provost marshal fired a shot into his 
head, but I do not remember positively. As soon 
as the execution was over the general dismissed the 
troops. Then the general with all the staff that had 
accompanied him started to return. I took my posi¬ 
tion just to the left of the general. After passing 
through the sallyport we came to an open space 
near a large powder magazine. The general reined 


20 


WAR REMINISCENCES. 


in his horse, and as soon as all halted and he had 
their attention, the general removed his hat, and 
turning to me, said: ‘^Mr. James, very handsomely 
done; I thank you, sir.” It was a sad scene, but it 
passed off without a single occurrence out of the 
usual course. 1 have stated all these circumstances 
as it was one of the important events of my career 
in the army, and as it gives you an idea of how an 
execution is conducted, or rather, how one such 
event was carried out. 

One morning I established my forge for shoeing 
horses in a clump of small trees just off the main 
road that led to our works at Bermuda Hundreds. 
There were a good many horses to be shod. I had gone 
into camp in the field opposite. My men had been 
at work but a little while when an orderly came to 
me and said, “General Ames requests that there be 
less noise in your camp.” In a short time he came 
again, and finally the third time. I had been watch¬ 
ing and there was no unnecessary noise; in fact, 
hardly any noise at all. When the orderly came the 
third time, I said, “I will see the general.” I had 
heard of General Ames (afterwards the war gov- 


AVAR REAIINISCENCES. 


21 


ernor of Mississippi). He had the reputation of 
being quite a martinet. I went to his tent, which 
Avas but a little wav from the forge. I introduced 
myself and said that I had received several messages 
regarding noise in my camp; that, when I set up 
my forge I was not aware his quarters were so near; 
that I Avas shoeing horses, and there was no more 
noise than v^as necessary^ in such work, but that I 
Avould move my forge. The general spoke up quick 
and said: “You Avill do nothing of the kind. There 
is no noise; I am nervous this morning, I guess. 
Say no more about it.” This was my first interview 
with General Ames. We had quite a conversation. 
The next morning an orderly came with General 
Ames’ compliments, and said that the general would 
like to see me. I went to his tent. He greeted me 
very cordially, and said: “Captain, I am going out 
to Port Walthall Junction with my division, and I 
liaA^e selected you as my chief of artillery.” I 
thanked him for the compliment, and said that un¬ 
fortunately I could not serA^e, as the captain of a 
New York battery outranked me. “Oh, that has all 
been arranged,” the general said. “That battery 


22 


WAR REMINISCENCES. 


lias been sent elsewhere.’’ There was then no get¬ 
ting out of it. All the objection I had was that 
there were two regular batteries under command of 
lieutenants attached to his division and I hated to 
command regulars. The following morning we 
started for Port Walthall Junction in a rainstorm. 
It did not rain hard, but for three days and nights it 
was a steady rain. About noon we reached the Junc¬ 
tion. I placed my battery in position near head¬ 
quarters. The general took a barn for his headquar¬ 
ters, and I took a corncrib, nearly opposite, for 
mine. My corncrib was a terribly leaky affair. I 
had on a new pair of boots that were a little tight, 
and I did not dare to take them off for fear that I 
could not get them on again. We stayed at this 
Junction for three full days. I was wet to the skin 
ail the time and could hear the water slosh around 
in my boots. I never saw a rain so steady, but 
luckily it was a warm rain. The harnesses were not 
taken off from the horses while there, and when we 
watered the horses I sent only a pair from each piece 
at a time. The enemy were right across a deep 
ravine in front. Towards evening the general sent 


WAR REMINISCENCES. 


28 


for me and directed that I place a battery after dark 
at a certain place. It was rather an ugly place, and 
there was but one company of infantry for support. 
T knew the regulars would make a fuss if I sent 
them, so I decided I would send my own battery and 
bring one of the regular batteries up into my posi¬ 
tion. Just about dark I was getting the battery 
ready to move, when the general came out and asked 
what battery I was sending. I replied: ‘‘My own.’’ 
“Why don’t you send one of the other batteries?” he 
asked. I replied, “To avoid a fuss with the regulars 
I have decided to send my own battery.” The gen¬ 
eral said, “I want your battery right here. You send 
one of the other batteries, and if there is anything 
said send the officer to me.” I ordered one of the 
regular batteries, and there was just the howl I ex¬ 
pected. I told the officer to see General Ames, but 
you can rest assured that he did not do so. It was 
a very wet, nasty time. I had to get fence rails to 
put under my guns to keep them out of the mud. 
There was nothing of special importance that oc¬ 
curred during the three days. The enemy made no 
attack on us. Late one evening we received orders 


24 


WAR REMINISCENCES. 


to move at three o’clock the next morning and join 
Butler at Drewry’s Bluff. That evening my men 
killed a cow that had wandered too near the camp. 
^Yhen they learned we were to move they commenced 
cooking the meat, and before leaving in the morning 
all the men ate of it. It cleared off that night, and 
when we started at three o’clock a. m. it was clear 
vrith not a breath of air stirring. It was so still as 
to be oppressive. Some two or three weeks before 
there had been a cavalry fight near the road we 
had to march over, and lots of dead horses had been 
left in the woods. The stench was something fear¬ 
ful. The meat the men had eaten had been cooked 
before the animal heat was out of it, and when I 
reached what was known as the half-way house on 
the Richmond and Petersburg tunipike I had as 
sick a lot of men as you would care to see. I never 
saw such vomiting in my life. It was about all I 
could do to keep from vomiting myself. There was 
a Pennsylvania regiment drawn up on the road. 
The colonel and staff sat on their horses. I had no 
surgeon with my battery at that time, so I asked 
the colonel if he had a surgeon. He pointed out his 


WAR REMINISCENCES. 


25 


surgeon, and I remember how they all laughed at 
my description of the condition the men were in and 
its cause. The surgeon rode down to my men and 
kindly prescribed something that soon settled their 
stomachs. About ten o’clock I went into camp iu a 
large open field near the half-way house. It was a 
relief to the horses to be unharnessed and placed 
on the picket rope. I took off my boots. I remem¬ 
ber calling up some of the officers to look at my feet. 
Talk about a washerwoman’s thumb, it was not a 
circumstance. We were camped just off the main 
road leading to the front. That evening Captain 
Belger, who commanded one of the batteries of the 
First Rhode Island Light Artillery, passed by with 
his battery, going into position at the front. I 
called to him and he rode into my camp and took a 
drink with me. The next morning he was a i>risoner 
of war in Richmond. I alwa^’S had a standing order 
to the guards to call me if anything unusual hap¬ 
pened. 

At four o’clock the next morning there was very 
heavy firing at the front. I lay listening to it, when 
the guard in front of my quarters called me. I 


26 


WAR REMINISCENCES. 


jumped up and dressed. It was the opening of the 
battle of Drewry’s Bluff. I never saw such a fog 
in my life. It was like looking into a snowbank. 
I believed there was serious work ahead, so I at 
once ordered boots and saddles. I had no idea of 
any defeat, or of our troops being driven back, so I 
did nothing towards striking camp. I ordered 
breakfast for the men at once. We couldn’t see a 
rod in any direction. The firing seemed to get 
heavier and nearer. All the officers of the battery 
were sitting at the mess table and our coffee had 
just been handed us, when a staff officer came riding 
by and yelled to us: “Get to the rear as quick as 
God will let you. The enemy are right upon iis;^^ 
don’t stop for anything.” We all sprang into our 
saddles, leaving everything behind in the way of 
camp and garrison equipage, even our mess table 
and our coffee untasted. I took the battery out on 
to the turnpike and went about three-quarters of 
a mile to the rear and took position upon a high 
bluff. The horses had not been watered, so I sent 
men to hunt water, which they found near by. I 
then ordered the horses watered, a pair at a time 


WAR REMINISCENCES. 


27 


from each piece. They had finished watering when 
I received orders to get to the front as quickly as I 
could. Away I went with six pieces and six cais¬ 
sons at a keen jump and went into position right on 
my old camp ground. I received orders to shell a 
piece of woods that was about a thousand yards in 
front of me with all my power. I poured in percus¬ 
sion shell with all the rapidity we could. After fir¬ 
ing some time I received orders to cease firing. I 
learned that reports came back from the front that 
the firing had been very effective on the enemy, who 
were attempting to mass their troops in these woods. 
I then sent the quartermaster sergeant and a squad 
of men and recovered all my camp and garrison 
equipage which I sent to the rear. In a little while 
I Vvms ordered to open again on the woods. I think 
I shelled the woods four or five times during the 
morning. The fog would raise a little at times, and 
by ten o’clock was all gone. I was under the com¬ 
mand of General Ames first, then ordered to report 
to General Brooks, then to General Baldy Smith, 
and finally to General Terry. While under com¬ 
mand of General Baldy Smith, General Butler rode 


28 


WAR REMINISCENCES. 


down tlie turnpike to the rear. At that time mv 
battery was right across the turnpike. General But¬ 
ler v/as accompanied by his staff, a squadron of cav¬ 
alry and his big yellow headquarters flag. As he 
got within about fifty or sevent3^-five feet of my bat¬ 
tery I was sitting on my horse right on the road. 
He called to me and said: ^^Captain, I order you to 
load with canister, and for God’s sake fire low.” 
As canister is destructive from the mouth of the 
piece, and as we had two lines of battle right in 
front of me, I supposed he simply meant for me to 
load with canister when it became necessary. I had 
several stand of canister lying on the ground at the 
muzzle of each piece, so I simply acknowledged the 
order by a salute of my hand. The general then 
spurred his horse forward, and shaking his fist at 
me repeated the order in exactly the same words as 
before. He being the commanding officer on the 
field, I had nothing to do but obey, so I gave the 
order, ^^Load with canister for action, load.” The 
general and his party had hardly gotten through the 
battery when an aid from General Baldy Smith rode 
up and ordered me to open on the woods again. I 


WAR REMINISCENCES. 


29 


saw General Smith and staff about three hundred 
feet awa}', so I said, see the general.’’ I 

spurred my horse and rode over to General Smith. I 
was mad and disgusted, and I said to the general: 

‘Vl’in loaded with canister by a d-foolish order.” 

‘‘By whose order?” the general said. I replied, “By 
General Butler’s.” I won’t attempt to describe what 
an oath he ripped out. The general asked if I could 
take it out. I said, “Yes.” “Then take it out and 
open on the woods,” he replied. The foregoing inci¬ 
dent was published in Harper's Magazine, in the 
Drawer ^’^ears ago, by whom I do not know, but I 
have told the story man}" times. I think it was pub¬ 
lished in 1S84-5 or G. Up in the Black Hills I told 
this story to a minister Saturday night, and Sunday 
morning he repeated it in his sermon, making a very 
happy illustration. It was Dean Ware, the Episco¬ 
pal Dean of the Black Hills, who was a verj^ warm 
friend of mine. 

About 11.30 A. M. a four-gun rebel battery of 
Napoleon guns came out on the turnpike, about one 
thousand yards from my battery, and opened fire, 
taking my battery for a target. Their firing was 



30 


WAR REMINISCENCES. 


very poor and did me no liarni, but one of the shells 
went over my battery and into a Connecticut regi¬ 
ment that was in line at the half-way house, killing 
and wounding three or four men. I was then under 
General Terry, having been ordered to report to him 
just before. I was waiting for orders to open on 
this rebel battery, when General Terry rode up, and 
raising his hat, said, ^‘Captain, can you silence that 
battery?’’ I had been looking the ground over, and 
just about an eighth of a mile to the right inside our 
lines there was a point of laud that was high and 
would give me an excellent position. I replied, 
^‘General, if I could take my four rifles (I then had 
four three-inch rifles and two howitzers) on to that 
point (indicating it), I think I could.” The general 
looked at it for a moment, and said: “Very good, 
take it.” I then went flying with the four pieces. 
T went into battery, gave the gunners the elevation, 
and for a few minutes we fired with all our might. 
The first shell Avent right into the rebel battery and 
knocked over some horses. I don’t think it was 
over three minutes from the time I opened when the 
rebel battery limbered up and went to the rear on a 


WAR REMINISCENCES. 


31 


run. Our whole army cheered. I then limbered up 
and went back to my old position. General Terry 
rode up, and bringing his hat down to his side, said: 
^^Very handsomely done. Captain, very handsomely 
done. I thank you.’’ The captain felt good. It 
really was a very pretty thing and well done. Our 
army had been roughly handled. We were badly 
beaten and driven back out of all our works. About 
two o’clock orders were given to retreat to our works 
at Bermuda Hundreds. I see by the records that the 
losses on both sides in this engagement, in killed, 
wounded and missing are said to be over ten thou¬ 
sand. I have given you a full account of this bat¬ 
tle, as I think it was the heaviest fight I was in in 
the open field, although it wasn’t nearly as hot a 
fight as Pocataligo, but there was a very much 
larger number engaged. We retreated in pretty 
good order. There was a captain of a Maine regi¬ 
ment whom I knew, and I saw him that day lying 
on a bank beside the road. I asked him what he 
was doing there, and he said he was sick. A few 
days after I happened to be riding and I saw a 
regiment drawn up in line as if for dress parade. 


f 


32 


WAR REMINISCENCES. 


As it was not the right time for dress parade, I rode 
up to see what was going on, and I saw this officer 
drummed out of the service by order of General But¬ 
ler. His sword was broken, his straps cut off, and 
he was marched in front of his regiment, the band 
playing the ^^Eogue’s March,’’ I presume. I met this 
officer in St. Louis in 1867 and it was not a pleasant 
meeting for him. A few days after the battle of 
Drewry’s Bluff, General Terry sent for me. I won¬ 
dered what was up now and what I had been doing. 
I went to the general’s quarters and he met me with 
great cordiality. He took me into his private quar¬ 
ters, brought out cigars and I guess a bottle. After 
some conversation the general said: ^^By-the-by, 
James, I heard you had expressed a wish for a bat¬ 
tery of Napoleon guns.” My reply wasn’t pretty, 
but I’m telling things as I remember them. I said: 
“General, I don’t think that I ever got so drunk 
that I Tvas willing to exchange my rifles for Napo¬ 
leons, but I’ll tell you what I would like to do. I 
would like to turn in the two howitzers you cap¬ 
tured at Fort Pulaski and get rifles in their places. 
I’ve made two or three applications but they w^ere 


WAR REMINISCENCES. 


33 


not approved.” The general said, ‘‘You make an 
application now.” Ais soon as I returned to camp 
I made an application, and at twelve o’clock the 
next day I had the guns. This made my battery 
complete, six three-inch rifle guns, the prettiest and 
best guns I think at tliat time. I can remember how 
proud and happy I was over getting these guns. The 
howitzers were pretty pieces. They were of brass 
and had the Georgia State coat of arms between the 
trunnions, but they were very short range and de¬ 
fective in the breech. They sort of spoiled my bat¬ 
tery. With six rifles I was ready for any service. 

Now I come to the night before the surrender or 
evacuation of Richmond. For three days I had been 
in command of the brigade. Captain Langdon, a 
regular ofifcer, had been down to Norfolk, but he 
returned the evening before. H|ad he stayed away 
twenty-four hours longer I would have been in Rich¬ 
mond several hours earlier and have fired the salute 
at noon, but of course volunteers had to stand aside 
for regulars at such a time. 

I was up the whole night before. We knew that 
great events were transpiring but could get no au- 


34 


WAR REMINISCENCES. 


thentic news. I was between the front and General 
Weitzel’s headquarters most of the night. I hap-^ 
pened to be looking towards Richmond and saw two 
explosions, said to be their arsenal and a gunboat. 
It was a grand sight. Just at the first break of day 
I saw General Weitzel and a squadron of cavalry go 
through where the rebel picket lines had been. I 
just flew to camp, and as I rode into camp I or¬ 
dered ^^boots and saddles.” In less than one hour 
Ave broke winter camp and were on the road for Rich¬ 
mond. At the opening made in the rebel lines I had 
to wait until a regular battery came, and was only 
given permission to go ahead on condition that I 
wouldn^t pass it. I marched with the battery until 
I came right opposite Libby Prison. I halted the 
battery, and with an orderly I rode into the city. 
My horse that I had ridden for nearly two years 
and whom I never knew to trot a step, the moment 
we struck the pavement struck into a square trot 
and kept it up until off the pavement. I rode up 
to the Capitol and rushed upstairs into the Senate 
chamber. General Weitzel sat in the Speaker’s 
chair. Everybody was wild that day. As I went 



WAR REMINISCENCES. 


85 


in I yelled to the general something. He called out 
to Major Stevens, ^^Stevens, gives James some whis¬ 
key and stop his mouth.’’ I can see Stevens now, as 
he came tumbling over the desks and seats with a 
canteen in his hand. I took the canteen, and holding 
it up I said, ^^Here is to the Southern Oonfederacy.” 
I took a swig and then rushed out and went through 
the different rooms in the Capito]. I filled my pock¬ 
ets with what I could find. I then rushed back to 
the Senate chamber, and going up on the platform, I 
begged with tears in my eyes to fire a salute. The 
general laughed at me, and said: ^‘You know. Cap¬ 
tain, I can’t interfere.” He then ordered me to 
come into the city with my battery and go into 
camp near the fair grounds. I marched through 
the cit}^, turning every corner, bugles tooting, etc., 
etc. After going into camp I sat up on a caisson, 
’ the only time I ever wrote a letter in that position, 
and wrote a letter on some of the rebel stationery 
to my mother. As this is a true story I must own 
up that it was a little doubtful if I could see as far 
as the end of the pole, but I have since read the let¬ 
ter and it was pretty good. While I was writing. 


86 


WAR REMINISCENCES. 


an old white-haired rebel came along and, stopping 
in front of me, said: ^‘Young man, this is a proud 
day for you, but it’s a bitter time for me. All I’ve 
got left is my house and a little hay right over there.” 
I yelled out to the quartermaster sergeant: ^‘Here’s 
a man who says he has got some hay. Take some 
men and go and get it.” This was a little mean, but 
afterwards I did considerable for some of the old 
citizens, and they seemed to appreciate it, even if it 
did come from a “Yank.” The next morning I re¬ 
ceived orders to take charge of dismantling all the 
rebel works on the side of Eichmond towards Wash¬ 
ington. I was given an oifiicer and one full section 
from each of the eight batteries, about three hundred 
officers and men and about two hundred horses. 
Every afternoon for several days I came through the 
city of Eichmond with a long line of captured ar- 
tiller 3 \ If I remember rightly I parked some three* 
hundred and fifty-seven pieces down on Eickett’s 
wharf. Everything from a four-pounder to a ten- 
inch Columbiad. It would take a big sheet of 
paper to tell you of all the fun I had in Eichmond. 

After we had been in Eichmond a week or ten days 


WAR REMINISCENCES. 


37 


the artillery brigade was ordered to take position in 
south of Petersburg and about three miles from the 
city. Just as we moved, a detail was made for a 
court-martial, and I was made president. The first 
morning we were in our new camp the court con¬ 
vened at my quarters. Generally the first session 
of a court is only preliminary, and nothing much is 
done. General Ord was in command at Petersburg 
and had issued stringent orders that only general 
officers and staffs should be allowed into the city. 
After we had adjourned court, I turned to the offi¬ 
cers and asked them how they would like to go into 
Petersburg. I said, “If you want to go as my staff 
and will carry it out in good shape, why, we will 
try it.’’ All agreed but one officer, who was evi¬ 
dently afraid. In court we have to be in full dress. 
I put on an old sack coat without shoulder straps, 
top boots and an old slouch hat. Several of the offi¬ 
cers had orderlies and I had mine, and off we started. 
When we came to the guard around the city I rode 
a little ahead and my staff trailed on behind. The 
guard stood at attention. We rode on into the city, 
and not knowing anything rabout the place, we 


38 


WAR REMINISCENCES. 


turned a corner which brought us into the public 
square, and the first thing we heard was the call of 
the guard, ^‘Turn out the guard, general ofificer.’^ 
The guard was a very large one and was under com¬ 
mand of a lieutenant-colonel. It took some time 
to form the guard. Arms Vv^ere presented. I raised 
my hat in acknowledgment and we rode on. We 
went in three times within a few days, but we were 
careful to avoid the public square. I finally heard 
that passes were being granted into Petersburg, and 
I knew General Weitzel would think it strange if I 
did not apply for one. So one morning, while at 
headquarters, I said to the general: hear they 

are giving passes into Petersburg. I guess I would 
like to take a look at the city.” I can see the gen¬ 
eral now as he looked at me and said, James, you 
have been in there three times within a week, and 
if it was any other officer I would court-martial 
him.” 






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